Lone worker app sounds ‘red alert’

Lone workers faced with potentially dangerous situations will be able to call for help thanks to a new app developed by a South Yorkshire company.

The Peoplesafe app lets wearers activate a ‘red alert’ by swiping the screen on their smartwatch or by the voice command, ‘Ok Google, red alert’.

Jake Adams, product manager, said: “This is the first product of its kind. We are continually looking at ways to harness technology to keep lone workers and vulnerable people safe.

“But we also need to make sure we maintain our highest standards and not just come up with some sort of gimmick. All our equipment needs to work out in the field and be reliable when people really need it.”

Using the latest in wearable technology provided by Sony, the Smartwatch3, Peoplesafe has developed an app which works on the Android Wear platform. The watch has to be connected to a smartphone by Bluetooth, and the smartphone must be running the compatible lone worker app provided by Peoplesafe, based in Dinnington.

As well as being able to activate a red alert, wearers will be able to set an amber alert with a countdown timer.

The app is currently being trialled by Peoplesafe, with a view to being available this summer. It will be demonstrated at the Safety and Health Expo at Excel in London from June 16–18.

Peoplesafe is one of the UK’s leading providers of equipment, training and monitoring services for lone workers. There are an estimated 6.8 million lone workers in the country, from lorry drivers to social workers.